Nearest-Neighbour Analysis: A Technique for Quantitative Evaluation of Polygonal Ground Patterns

Abstract

Nearest-neighbour analysis can be applied to polygonal ground patterns to give a quantitative evaluation of the pattern. The nearest-neighbour statistic (R) indicates the degree to which an observation departs from an expected random pattern. The R-statistic is particularly useful in comparing patterns by highlighting differences that are not subjectively obvious. Because the nearest-neighbour technique eliminates the effect of scale, it can be used to compare a variety of patterns, including ice-wedge and desiccation polygons, lava cooling cracks, and tectonic tractures. Nearest-neighbour analysis can also be applied to the large-scale polygonal ground on Mars and other planetary bodies.